In the Shadows
by GEM8
Summary: Politics is a nasty business and sometimes families becomes a target and pay the ultimate price. On the night of Bartlet's second election his childern and families of those closest to him muse about the past and what is to come in the future. R
1. The Eldest

Author's Note: The following is a series of West Wing stories I've been working on. I haven't written in a long time and I feel that this may not be my best work so any feedback you can give me would be appreciated.  
  
Title: In the Shadows #1 The Eldest Synopsis: Liz confides in Sam Rated: PG Author: GEM Feedback: you write it and I write more. Archive: Yes, but let me know first. Disclaimer I don't own West Wing. Mr. Sorkin et al does thus no Copyright infringement is intended.  
  
Election Night  
  
NBC news is now ready to declare the 2002 Presidential election for, Josiah Bartlet. "So it begins." "What was that Honey?" Elizabeth Bartlet looked away from the television set to see her mother walk across the room in her red business suit. "Oh, Nothing, Mom. Liz replied getting up from the bed and straightening her suit jacket. "Shall we join the celebration now that it is official?" "Victory speech, first." Abbey reminded her eldest daughter as they walked out of the residence to meet up with the President. "Ah, yes you can't forget that, now can you?" Abbey tried not to comment on her daughter's attitude as they were led to the group of loyal White House employees by two secret service agents. Abbey knew Liz wasn't happy with Jed running for a second term. Truth be told neither was she but she had grown to accept the facts. As she got to the Limo she silently hoped Liz would soon accept the same.  
  
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After returning from Bartlet Headquarters and the victory speech Liz quietly joined the celebration. ' Why should this bother me? It what he wants.' She thought "Hey stranger." Liz turned around startled "Hey yourself, Don't you know your not supposed to sneak up on people?" Sam smiled "Yeah, sorry." "That's okay" Liz replied. Out of nervous or habit she straighten her black suit jacket once again. "Nice speech tonight." "Thanks. He went off the prompter." "That's nothing new." Liz started to walk toward the door she hated gathering like this, not enough air. Sam followed "Are you Okay?" "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" "You seem down about something. Do you want to talk? We can get some air." Sam suggested motioning toward the door. Liz gratefully accepted the opportunity to retreat from the scene and they made their way out of the reception. "So, what's on your mind?" "Not much." Liz lied. "Come on Lizzy, your not talking to Toby anymore. This is me." "I'm not cut out for politics. I need privacy, quiet, routine, commonality, normalcy. I have a child to raise, a husband. For once in my life I want to able to go to a movie without the added attention but I can't. I'm the President's daughter, so I can't do that. I want to go to bed at night and worry about Annie's ballet recital and not whether she going to be attacked at school because Grandpa is President. Do you have any idea what it like, Sam, any idea?" Sam was for once at a lose for words. "No, I don't but I do know that return to normalcy is something Warren G. Harding tried and it didn't really work." Sam laughed. Liz giggled a little. "I think I knew that." "Liz, I can't being to fathom the amount of things you have to consider at home or the amount of stress you are put under. We have stress here too. I know you are worried about your father. We all are, Liz and we are all looking out." "I wanted to be able to spend the last few good years with him. I wanted Annie to know him before." "She will, you will. You just may have to do it while America is watching, at times. In the mean time we are all here to support each other take advantage of that. We can all help each other. Don't hold it in and remember to tell him that you love him. If you don't you'll regret it forever." Liz hugged Sam and wiped a tear from her eye. "Thanks." "You're welcome." "Excuse me I have to go find someone." "I need to get back too." Sam and Liz walked back in and both went their separate ways. Sam to talk to Toby and Leo and Liz went to follow some advice given to her by an old friend.  
  
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"You can't stand parties either?" Liz asked as she walked into the Oval office. "Too noisy, I had to get away for a while." Jed put down his book and reading glasses, stood up and hugged his daughter and then offered her a seat. "Ya, know I was mad at you." "Yeah, I figured that." "I don't want to be mad anymore. I realized watching you tonight that this is what you want; I think I always knew that. The reason I came in here was to tell you that I'm proud of you, not a lot of people in your situation would do something like this, but you, you've always been stubborn and you're not going to give up. That's what I always learned from you. I just came here to say that I Love you." "I love you too, sweet pea. I know when I first made this decision not a lot of people in my family were happy. I'm glad you've come around and I thank you for your support. Always know that I will be there to support you to the end, that's what family is for. I can't image the sacrifices that you and your sisters have to make in this situation or the fears that you face but know that your mother and I and this extended White House family will support you no matter what happens." Liz leaned forward and gave her father a hug. "I love you, Dad. Shall we go back to the party?" "We should probably make another appear or your mother will wonder what happened to us." Jed offered a hand to his eldest daughter as the walked out of the Oval Office and back to the celebration.  
  
TBC.. In, "In the Shadows" #2 - Stuck in the Middle We meet Ellie and who is her Secret Service Agent? You'll just have to wait and see. 


	2. Stuck in the Middle Again

Author's Note: The following is a series of West Wing stories I've been working on. I haven't written in a long time and I feel that this may not be my best work so any feedback you can give me would be appreciated.  
  
Title: In the Shadows #2 - Stuck in the Middle Again Synopsis: Ellie talk to her favorite Secret Service agent Rated: PG Author: GEM Feedback: you write it and I write more. Archive: Yes, but let me know first. Disclaimer I don't own West Wing. Mr. Sorkin et al does thus no Copyright infringement is intended.  
  
NBC news is now ready to declare the 2002 Presidential election for, Josiah Bartlet. Ellie sat in her apartment listening to election returns wondering if she was the only first daughter that disliked positive election returns. She was happy because it was what her father wanted but at the same time she was sad because it was not what she wanted. She had enough she wanted out. She felt betrayed. There was a knock on her apartment door, she got up to answer it "Hey." She said when she opened the door to a friendly face. "Hey, yourself. Can I come in?" "Sure" Ellie stepped to the side to admit her friend. "Have a seat, Gina. Can I get you anything?" Ellie asked as she went into the kitchen. "No thanks." Ellie returned a moment later with a coffee cup. "This is depressing?" she commented half under her breathe. "You're stuck with me again and your not happy about it I'm hurt." Gina replied jokingly. Gina Tuscono was first assigned to Zoey Bartlet four years ago and had since moved on in her career to guarding Ellie Bartlet. "It's not that, Gina. It's that for once in my life I would like to have my Constitutional right back. You know Freedom of Speech, Press and Assembly among others." "I'm not sure I'm following. You have those rights." "Only, slightly. I can't speak my mind most of the time if I do the press gets a hold of it and if it's bad enough I end in Daddy's office." "Okay now I follow. You want freedom from the political life." "Yeah, that's it. I want to be able to go to my mailbox, go to the mall, go to class without a shadow. Not that I don't like you guys, your cool it's just. there is so much pressure on me already at school. I don't need the pressure from anything else." "Yet you seem to deal with the pressure." Gina replied. "You have some great point El. You really do but you have to remember we have to protect you. Weather you like it or not you are the daughter of the most powerful man in the world thus a target. I take my job very seriously. I think you know that after all the things that have happened to you and Zoey over the past four years. "I know I have to make sacrifices Gina. Just once in my life I would like to go out and get my own mail or buy a pair of shoes and not see it listed in the lifestyle section of the Washington Post." "I truly understand and if you would like to do that I can see what I can do." "Thank you, I may take you up on that. I know this is what my father was meant to do. I know it's what he wants to do. I just wish I could spend time with him, have my life back." "To be honest, Ellie the press does respect you, all of you, your father sees to that." "I just want some privacy. I want to be able to do some thing with out closing the place down." "Eleanor Bartlet you are the President's daughter there is no changing that and you are one of the nicely people I know so I'll make you a deal we'll get through this together. I see what I can do about you picking up your own mail.  
  
Ellie laughed, "Okay, deal. I guess I should go call him and mom to congratulate them." Gina got up off the couch. "Yeah, I think you should and you should get packing because we're going to have another Inauguration to go to." Gina head for the door and Ellie follow "You're right, I gotta find a dress." Gina opened the door "Goodnight, Ellie." "Good night Gina and Thank you." Ellie shut the door and Gina walked down the front steps to the apartment next as she did so she spoke into her sleeve "Tiger is in for the night." 


	3. Front & Center

**Author's Note: The following is a series of West Wing stories I've been working on. I haven't written in a long time and I feel that this may not be my best work so any feedback you can give me would be appreciated.**

**Title: In the Shadows #3 Front & Center**

**Synopsis: Zoey talks to Dad**

**Rated: PG**

**Author: GEM**

**Feedback: you write it and I write more.**

**Archive: Yes, but let me know first.**

**Disclaimer I don't own West Wing. Mr. Sorkin et al does thus no Copyright infringement is intended.**

Zoey walked down the hallway of the residences and into her father's study, "Congratulations, Daddy." Zoey said as she went over to him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you, little one." Jed Bartlet replied triumphantly.

"Dad, I'm twenty years old." Zoey protest her father use of adjectives.

"You'll always be little to me."

"Victory speech?" Zoey inquired as Jed fixed his tie and put his jacket on.

"Yeah, I'm going down now. Your mother and sister are already downstairs. Are you coming?" Jed asked walking toward his daughter

"And, Why wouldn't I?"

"No reason I just had the feeling that … Liz is mad at me so is Ellie and…"

"Daddy, all do respect to the office… shut up."

"Respect to the office but not to your old man, ah."

"Dad, I love you and will support you in whatever you do. Whatever happens. I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you. Come on you have a victory speech to give."

Zoey started to walk to the door but her father stopped her. "I want to say something to you…all of you so you will hear this later too, but it's important now. I did this because I had to in order to live with…"

Zoey cut him off. "Dad, stop. Listen, we know. We just want to be able to spend time with you while you have it, if this is the way you want to spend it then fine this is the way we'll spend it. I know I'm the only one in the family that didn't kick and scream about the second term. I didn't because I knew it was something you had to do and I can live with that I know in my heart that you will do whatever it takes to protect me and I will speak out when I have to. I know what to say and not to say. This is it, Daddy it's time to finish what you started. I don't have a problem with it and if someone wants to pick on me let'em. I can handle it."

Jed and Zoey stood it silence for a moment. "Well as long as you're sure about this."

"It's gonna be hard Dad. Zoey said as they walked out of the residence "if it's what you want I'm okay with it and we'll all support you."

Before the stepped around the corner to the door Jed stopped Zoey. "So what do you say little one should we go start are second term."

Zoey smiled and began to walk around the corner to join the other. "Whatever, you say, Dad. By the way I'm not little any more."

"You'll always be my little one." Jed answered as he walked out with her to waiting motor cade.

A/N sorry this took so long folks. RL got in the way.

In the next installment: Annie Weston goes to Washington.


	4. Muse of the Innocent

**Title:** In the Shadows #4 Muse of the Innocent

**Synopsis:** Annie, a dairy and the family.

**Rated:** K

**Author:** GEM

**Feedback:** you write it and I write more.

**Archive:** Yes, but let me know first.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own West Wing. Mr. Sorkin et al does thus no Copyright infringement is intended.

**----**

"Annie." Doug Weston called up to his daughter.

"Yeah."

"Mom is on the phone."

"Okay," Annie picked up the phone in her bedroom. "Hello."

"Hi, Sweetheart, just called to tell you that Grandpa won."

"Mom, I'm fifteen and the Granddaughter of the President. I do watch the news. I know he won again."

"You, don't have to give me an attitude."

"it's not t an attitude Mom."

"Okay, I don't want to argue."

"I'm not."

"It's late you should go to bed you have school tomorrow. Sleep tight. Love you."

"Love you too. See you soon." Annie replied and then hung up the phone. She put on her pajamas and climbed into bed. Her Mother had always tried to protect her too much she had tried to point this out several times to no avail. She was the President's granddaughter and would continue to be. She had handled it well for the last four years she could handle it for four more. She was bothered by any of the publicity or secret service attention like her mother. She enjoyed being able to go to school and brag to her friends that she could stay at the White House. She liked to brag, every teenager does, don't they. Her thoughts were interrupted when her father knocked on her bedroom door.

"Hey, Lady."

"Hey."

"Did she bother you about Grandpa being President again?"

"I wish she'd realize that I can handle it. I have already and I can do it again. I'll hold up my part."

"She does. She's just nervous that's all. Don't worry it'll be fine. You should go to bed. You have school tomorrow. Good night, Lady."

"Night, Dad." Neil shut his daughter's bedroom door and walked away. If only his wife would realize that Annie wasn't two and could handle it in her own way most of the time.

When her father left Annie leaned over and opened the drawer to her nightstand. She pulled out a pink book with a lock on the side, undid the lock and began flipping through the pages until she reached the entry she was looking for. It read: Election Day'98

_Dear Dairy,_

_Today, Grandpa won! He is the President and now I get to have a secret service agent and I get to go to the White House. I'm proud of him he says that he is only going to run once but if I was old enough to vote in the next election and her ran again I would vote for him. Mom didn't seem too happy today. I don't know what she is so worried about. She's been fussing over me all day. She doesn't like that Grandpa is president but I think it's cool because I can go and sleep at the White House and brag to all my friends. I will do my part for the family in this cause because I love them all very much._

Annie finished reading the entry and thought, "I will gladly do my part again. Grandpa because you are the best, no matter what happens." She placed the diary back in the top drawer of the nightstand, turned out the bedside light and went to sleep.


	5. Second Son

Title: In the Shadows #5 Second Son

Synopsis: 12 year old Connor Hoynes' thoughts as he watches election results come in..

Rated: PG

Author: GEM

Feedback: you write it and I write more.

Archive: Yes, but let me know first.

Disclaimer I don't own West Wing. Mr. Sorkin et al does thus no Copyright infringement is intended.

Connor Hoyes' watched the news results while trying to complete his report on the election results for Social Studies. He was paying attention to the Presidential Race as well as a local race and a swing race of his choice. His father helped him select the races and showed him what to look for before they went to the hotel. He promised to help him put the finishing touches on the report later. He couldn't help but look at the newscasters in awe of what was happening in front of him.

His Mom and Dad are at the Hilton, waiting for the election news. He will have to leave the comfort of his room to join them but he needed a moment to myself, to reflect on his future and his past, at least that what I told them before they left.

My father is the Vice President of the United States… He is only important if the President dies or if the Senate can't make up there minds…Constitutionally anyway. In actuality he is much more important, for one thing he's my father and although we all have secret service details and I have to be careful what I do or say my life isn't as stressful as Zoey's or any of the Bartlets but I know what this means to the my family and the nation.

In reality, if all went according to the original plan my father should be the one waiting to see if he will be the next President of the United States. It didn't go according to plan but President is a good man and a fine President. My father will have to spend another four years in the shadows doing the work he loves. After this term,I can become as stressed out and sick of politics as Zoey, Ellie and Liz are today and watch my father run for his term in the Oval.

Although I know my dad is hurt by President Bartlet's decision to run. I am grateful to him for his decision because I have an opportunity to grow up in the Naval Observatory, be kid, and have time with my dad before I become the First Son. I will enjoy my time as the Second Son as my mother enjoys her time as Second Lady.

I have to leave now to join my parents tonight we will fulfill our role from the shadows but I will enjoy the victory.


End file.
